John Maki

John Maki was appointed executive director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority in January 2015. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Maki was executive director of the John Howard Association of Illinois, the state’s oldest prison reform organization, and the only independent group that monitors the state’s juvenile and adult prison systems. Mr. Maki is a criminal justice system reformer whose significant legislative advocacy efforts include 2012 bi-partisan legislation enabling low-level offenders to earn time off their sentences and work that led to the creation of the Joint Committee on Criminal Justice Reform. As head of the John Howard Association, Mr. Maki’s commentary on the criminal justice system has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, National Public Radio, and many other Illinois state and local media outlets. Mr. Maki is an attorney and has represented people seeking clemency before the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. He also has worked in homeless prevention and as a teacher at the high school and college levels. Mr. Maki was named a 2014 Public Citizen of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers - Illinois Chapter and has served on several non-profit and governmental committees and boards, including ICJIA’s.